"Feeling Lethargic After a Break, Want to Quit"... Japan on High Alert Over 'May Sickness' Even More Than Korea [Sunday Japanese Culture]

Lethargy After the Golden Week in May
Stress from April's New Beginnings Takes Its Toll
May Signal Depression or Adjustment Disorder

Have you managed to return to your daily routine after the May holidays? It doesn't really feel like you had a break, and it's not easy to readjust, is it? In neighboring Japan, they also just finished their 'Golden Week,' a holiday period where people can take up to ten days off if they use their leave. It seems the situation is quite similar to ours. This is because it is the season when 'May Sickness' is prevalent. In Japan, this term refers to the condition people experience when returning to daily life after the long May holiday. Check to see if you might be experiencing the same symptoms. Today, we will talk about May Sickness in Japan.

May Sickness is not an official medical term, but it refers to a variety of symptoms that appear after the May holidays, such as feeling depressed, being in poor condition, having trouble sleeping, losing your appetite, and falling into lethargy where you don't want to do anything. The symptoms can vary widely from person to person. The most common symptoms are feeling heavy, tired, and lethargic.

May Sickness Illustration. Tokyo Metropolitan Multicultural Coexistence Portal Site.

Japanese media outlets such as NHK also regularly report on May Sickness after the May holidays. In a survey of 1,200 Japanese office workers in their 20s to 50s, 55.6% responded that they had experienced May Sickness. These reports always emphasize that it cannot simply be dismissed as 'not wanting to work after a break' or 'just being lazy.' In fact, many people decide to quit their jobs during Golden Week and follow through on that decision. Companies that provide resignation agency services say that the number of clients triples during Golden Week compared to other times of the year.

This is influenced by Japan's unique characteristic of starting everything in April. April is the month when major changes occur, such as school entrance, starting a new job, or transfers. People experience adaptation stress in April, and then, when they are met with a long holiday in May, their rhythm gets disrupted. The tension from trying to adapt to changes throws the autonomic nervous system out of balance, and both body and mind begin to feel exhausted. On top of this, spring temperature fluctuations and pollen allergies further worsen people's condition.

After the long holiday ends, while the break itself was enjoyable, the burden of returning to a routine you haven't yet adjusted to can feel overwhelming. Especially for those just starting a new year, goals like 'producing results' or 'getting along with everyone' become sources of stress. For this reason, some people fall into depression starting with May Sickness, so it should not be dismissed as something that will simply pass.

Yonhap News

So, is there a way to overcome May Sickness? Psychologists and doctors say that physical activity is the most effective method. They recommend going outside and walking for even 10 to 15 minutes a day to help refresh your mood.

Additionally, instead of disrupting your sleep rhythm by oversleeping during the long holiday, it is important to relieve fatigue by sleeping up to two hours more than usual, while making sure not to change your day-night rhythm. TV Asahi also reported that taking a light shower with cold water for 2 to 3 minutes or eating spicy food can be alternative solutions.

Japanese media have also reported on the characteristics of people who are more susceptible to May Sickness. These include people who are easily stressed by changes in their environment, those who are sensitive and react strongly to others' moods, people who care too much about others' opinions and are excessively considerate, and those with strong perfectionist tendencies. In fact, these are often people who are kind to others, highly responsible, and diligent. If you have similar symptoms, try to relax, reassure yourself that you are doing well, and keep moving forward at your own pace.